8
votes
What, exactly, happened to the good thief on the cross, and why? (Catholic perspective)
Much of the Question has already been answered, so I will address the concern of the OP.
“It would seem that he did no or minimal good works, and it's most likely that he wasn't baptised.”
As to his ...
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8
votes
Is it possible for a person who has faith in Jesus to only receive “a measure of salvation” as opposed to “full salvation”?
A measure of salvation? No. Salvation is full and free through faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ. When the Lord Jesus cried out "Finished!" in a loud voice while on the cross at ...
- 9,912
6
votes
Why don't many Christians follow this: " For all the law is fulfilled in one word... Love thy neighbour as thyself." - Galatians 5:14
I see that this question has already accepted an answer, but the comments suggest that some concerns still remain, so I'll attempt to provide an answer that fills in these gaps.
I would think that ...
5
votes
Accepted
Did the Second Council of Orange deny the "certain efficacy" of grace?
Resistible grace in the Council of Orange
The conclusion to the council's canons says:
After grace has been received through baptism, all baptized persons have the ability and responsibility, if ...
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5
votes
Accepted
Is it only Catholicism that says grace on food?
Christians of all denominations (Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Protestant) may all say grace before meals. Some do and some don't consistently or not.
The origin of the practice is from ...
- 14.4k
5
votes
Accepted
Why don't many Christians follow this: " For all the law is fulfilled in one word... Love thy neighbour as thyself." - Galatians 5:14
Jesus said: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important commandment. The second is like it: Love your neighbour as ...
- 33.1k
5
votes
Where does Grace reside? (Catholicism)
Grace is a quality (a type of accident) that inheres in the soul, analogous to how the quality of redness inheres in a red apple.
St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica I-II q. 110 a. 1 ("Whether grace ...
- 41k
5
votes
Was It Possible or Not To Keep the Law of Moses?
You should notice the context of the verse you quote (Deuteronomy 30:11), because it comes after this:
These are the words of the covenant, which the Lord commanded Moses to make with the children of ...
- 8,405
5
votes
Accepted
Is it Catholic doctrine that no one can be certain of being in God's grace?
Apart from divine revelation, one cannot be absolutely certain one is in the state of grace, though there are signs one might be.
Council of Trent session 6 on Justification, Chapter IX. "Against ...
- 41k
5
votes
Accepted
Is it OK to demand God's grace?
The word translated "grace" in the New Testament comes from the Greek word charis, which means “favour, blessing, or kindness.”
We can all extend grace to others but when the word grace is ...
- 33.1k
4
votes
If someone is forced to take the punishment for sin (Jesus), doesn't that mean that God never forgives?
Not only is God loving, merciful and forgiving, He is also just. God will not allow sinful deeds to go unpunished:
He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the ...
4
votes
According to Catholicism, can the saints be given the title "co-mediator of Grace"?
Mediation is a relative term. That is you can't mediate something from yourself to someone else per se. For example, Christ mediates between God and man (being Himself both).
Thus, any of us can ...
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4
votes
Accepted
What is a special sign of predestination? (Catholic)
Part II, §4 "Synthesis," ch. IV "On the Certainly of Predestination," § "Signs of Predestination" of Fr. Réginald Garrigou-Lagrange, O.P.'s Predestination: The Meaning of Predestination in Scripture ...
- 41k
4
votes
Accepted
State of Grace and Demonic Possession
Unfortunately a Catholic living in the state of grace and has never committed a mortal sin could be diabolically possessed by a demon(s) through no fault of their own. Sometimes a person is unaware ...
- 73.9k
4
votes
Accepted
How would different Protestant denominations reconcile Matthew 5:19 with the notion of being saved by grace?
The Reformed tradition would say that we are still required to keep the law, even though we are not saved by our works. God still wants us to do what He has commanded us to do, even though we are ...
- 1,349
4
votes
Why when all are separated by mans sin was Noah chosen?
Genesis 6:5-6 describes God’s view of the people who lived prior to the flood:
“The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on
the earth, and that every inclination of the ...
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4
votes
Can a Christian in a state of grace know that they are?
To the question of "Whether man can know that he has grace?" (Summa Theologica I-II q. 112 a. 5), St. Thomas Aquinas responds by explaining the ways the reality of grace can or cannot be ...
- 41k
4
votes
Is it possible for a person who has faith in Jesus to only receive “a measure of salvation” as opposed to “full salvation”?
The word "salvation" was inserted by the author of that other post into the ML quote and doesn't seem appropriate, as holiness and salvation are two different things. I do not believe Luther ...
- 1,658
4
votes
What would be an orthodoxly Christian, biblically based response to a concern that a Christian could die without repenting of a given sin?
Query 1) What is the fate of those who believe in Jesus Christ but who die without repenting of something they never discovered was sinful (Simon, Acts 8, given as an example.)
This example is of one ...
- 33.9k
4
votes
Can punishment for unintentional sins be reconciled with Christians knowing they have eternal life?
Sin is sin, whether it is deliberate, unintentional, or resisted but its temptation turns out to be irresistible, leading to rationalisation and even denial that it was ‘really’ a sin. However, God ...
- 33.9k
4
votes
Is it OK to demand God's grace?
I would say it is ok to "expect" God's grace.
1 John 1:9 (ESV):
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."...
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3
votes
Accepted
What happens to a rejected grace?
What happens to a rejected grace? What happens to the merits of one's prayers for a person who is not ready to accept it or does not accept? Does God use one's prayer for a different individual?
...
- 73.9k
3
votes
Accepted
How can a non-Catholic get into state of grace as understood by the Catholic Church?
Generally, the Church declines to comment whether any given person is in Heaven or not — at least not without a laborious inquiry and at least two confirmed miracles — but there are paragraphs in the ...
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3
votes
How do Protestants explain the relationship between justification and the works of the servants in the Parable of the Talents?
For the sake of brevity, I have placed a single page regarding the parables of the kingdom here on google docs.
A number of the parables of the kingdom, as described in the page, convey that what is ...
- 26.5k
3
votes
What are the practical effects of sanctifying grace?
How refreshingly honest of your daughter to say what she thinks rather than simply give the answer that is expected. But how prove to her that sanctifying grace is real? By example, by ...
- 33.1k
3
votes
What are the practical effects of sanctifying grace?
The proof of Sanctifiying Grace is found in the testimony of God’s people. Can you talk about the changes in your own life that have come only because of your realtionship with God? The initial ...
3
votes
Accepted
Did the Jansenists deny the gratuity of grace?
No, Jansenists did not deny the gratuity of grace
According to one of the foremost authorities on Jansenism, Dr. Shaun Blanchard, the Jansenists were fighting for the gratuity of grace!
The ...
- 2,333
3
votes
Accepted
Is it possible for a person who has faith in Jesus to only receive “a measure of salvation” as opposed to “full salvation”?
The answer to the title question, "Is it possible for a person who has faith in Jesus to only receive “a measure of salvation” as opposed to “full salvation”?" is no, at face value. ...
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